900W Mars 2 LED Trial

[Redwood Ryan]

Let the records show that my LED trial has begun. A couple weeks ago I moved all my trees indoors now that the nighttime temps are dropping into the low 50s/upper 40s. The trees have now just about adjusted to the new light and are now pushing new growth.


This light, while it gives off a lot of red (for flowering), also has a good amount of blue, as well as white and UV. The thing I've noticed with this light so far is that it seems to be very good at promoting backbud. Check out these trees, for example.

My big microcarpa is backbudding all over the trunk, not just the branches:

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Also, here's another microcarpa that's budding like crazy under this light:



So all in all I'm pretty pleased with the light so far. My trees seem to be as well.

 

[edprocoat]

Does the light make the pictures look purple or is that the camera?

ed

 

[Stiple]

Does the light make the pictures look purple or is that the camera?

ed

Its the different colored LEDs in the light panel.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Does the light make the pictures look purple or is that the camera?

ed

Chlorophyll absorbs different light spectra than full spectrum (solar) lighting. Grow lights usually focus on providing that spectra and care less about providing the other "useless" spectra that the human eye is used to.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

To compare the LED against metal halide, I'm also going to purchase a 600W MH and give that a try.

 

[davetree]

To compare the LED against metal halide, I'm also going to purchase a 600W MH and give that a try.

You'll probably get similar growth with the halide, but the heat generated will be a problem. You will need extra equipment to move air through your room/tent to keep temperatures down.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

You'll probably get similar growth with the halide, but the heat generated will be a problem. You will need extra equipment to move air through your room/tent to keep temperatures down.

Well the only reason I'm really considering the halide is to see how good its penetration is. I have a feeling getting light to the lower branches is an issue no matter what kind of lighting you use.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

what kind of grow tent? mylar?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Just a homemade frame surrounded in panda film.

I'm thinking my best bet would be to hang a T8 horizontally. That would work pretty well.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Instead of mounting lights vertically, I just ordered another 900W Mars 2 LED. However, this one is specifically in the vegging spectrum, so it'll mostly be blue and white. Stay tuned.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have a feeling getting light to the lower branches is an issue no matter what kind of lighting you use.

Light diminishes based on the square of the distance from the source. In the case of the sun, we are almost 93 million miles away, so one foot or two difference in distance barely changes intensity. However with an artificial lighting source that is 5' from the ground, the difference between top branches at 3' and bottom branches at 1' means that the bottom branches will be getting 1/4 the light that the top branches will get (without even taking into consideration the potential for shading). That is one reason why it is better to use a stronger light source, at a greater height, if you are trying to get more even light penetration.

 

[Fangorn]

Instead of mounting lights vertically, I just ordered another 900W Mars 2 LED. However, this one is specifically in the vegging spectrum, so it'll mostly be blue and white. Stay tuned.

I think I'm going over to LED's from my MH light I have now. I've been looking at Advanced LED's blue 5w LED system.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I think I'm going over to LED's from my MH light I have now. I've been looking at Advanced LED's blue 5w LED system.

I was going to go with them, but their lights weren't powerful enough for what I wanted. I needed to light a 4x4 area, but their $400 light could only light a 2x2.

 

[Fangorn]

I was going to go with them, but their lights weren't powerful enough for what I wanted. I needed to light a 4x4 area, but their $400 light could only light a 2x2.

They have one, but at almost $800 it's about twice as expensive as the one you're getting. One thing I've learned after researching light systems is that there's sure a lot of people growing weed out there

 

[Redwood Ryan]

They have one, but at almost $800 it's about twice as expensive as the one you're getting. One thing I've learned after researching light systems is that there's sure a lot of people growing weed out there

Yep, that's the main group that uses LED's. That's why I spoke to an actual Mars LED manufacturer in China and had a grow spectrum LED made for myself. Blue and white 5W chips instead of red and blue.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

The light arrived today, and it is considerably more blue than the other. It's still got red in it to maintain a healthy spectrum though.

Standard Growth Spectrum

Veg/Growth Spectrum

 

[devenomized]

I'm using 45w Alzo lights and i think it works fine for Willow Leafs. One light bulb per tree.

The light arrived today, and it is considerably more blue than the other. It's still got red in it to maintain a healthy spectrum though.

Standard Growth Spectrum

Veg/Growth Spectrum

 

[Redwood Ryan]

So I think I've come to the conclusion that this light gives me about the same amount of growth as my old T5 lights. I'd actually prefer to go back to T5 lighting, and just keep one of the two LEDs. The T5s just made things easier; they dried up the soil and kept the trees warm and they also lit up the room so it was a normal color. The only thing I've found that really improves is the amount of figs my trees produce. They're growing figs like there's no tomorrow.

If I can find a buyer, I'll sell this broad spectrum light in a heartbeat.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Don't forget one important aspect. LED's you don't have to replace for years... In fact, by the time you decide to replace your LED's they will probably be two or three generations of LED advancement ahead of where you are today - so you'll probably get an LED that's twice as efficient for half the price.

T5's, on the other hand, need to be replaced every 6 months. Depending on the price per bulb and the number of bulbs in your fixture, it adds up quickly.